Flowers of Evil
by AthenaIsis
Summary: Rin and Len are twins, separated from each other at a young age. Len is determined to meet Rin again and never leave her side, despite their differences in social status. He is willing to sacrifice everything for her. Inspired by the Series of Evil.
1. Soon

_This is my first fanfiction ever, so I would love to get feedback - good or bad. This story was inspired by the first two songs in the Series of Evil by mothy, Aku no Musume (Daughter of Evil) and Aku no Meshitsukai (Servant of Evil). I stress the word "inspired," so please don't pick out details where I didn't follow the songs exactly. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Two twins sat in the middle of a meadow. They couldn't have been older than six years old and they had blonde hair and golden eyes. The two were identical except for the fact that one was a girl and the other a boy. Their laughs tinkled like little bells as they floated up to the clear blue sky. The little girl placed the daisy chain she just finished weaving on top of her brother's head and laughed. "It's a present for you, Len!"<p>

Len laughed with her. "Thanks, Rin!"

"No problem!"

The two laughed and played together, oblivious of the argument between their parents behind a tree nearby.

A woman with blonde hair and golden eyes glared at the man standing across from her. "This cannot go on any longer. I cannot keep bringing Rin to visit Len! Our relationship will be discovered sooner or later!" she hissed, afraid that shouting would alarm the children.

The man, who also had blonde hair and golden eyes, looked back at her, annoyed. "And what are you going to do about it? You won't let us move into the castle since you, the queen of this nation, cannot be found to have had children with a peasant like me. What do you expect me to do?"

The woman looked away and breathed deeply in an attempt to calm down. "Then I will take Rin and return to the castle and we will cut off all connections." Without waiting for an answer, she walked to where the children were playing and picked Rin up. "Come on, Rin. We're going home," she said with a forced smile on her face.

The man ran after her. "No, wait!" Then he stopped since she was already next to Rin. He watched, his heart aching.

Rin blinked. "Already?"

"Yes, Rin."

"When will we be able to visit Len and Daddy again?"

The woman didn't answer. She knew that the truth was going to hurt the two kids and she didn't want to see them like this. After a bit of silence, she said, "Soon," knowing that soon was never going to come.

"Okay!" Rin smiled. "I'll see you soon Len!" She waved to Len.

"See you, Rin!" Len waved back at her.

Rin and her mother walked away, never to walk back again. Rin and Len constantly waited for soon to come, but it never did.

Rin grew up as the princess of the nation, pampered and spoiled. She despised her mother and the world for separating her from her brother. Soon, she learned that if she made the world suffer, then she felt just a little better, so she caused trouble all the time. Nobody could go against her though, because she was the princess.

Len grew up as a village boy, studying hard to try and be able to meet his sister again someday. He learned different skills in his attempt to rise up through the ranks. Many did not want to teach him, but he did not give up—he begged and worked for them until they agreed. It was because of his determination that he learned writing, reading, music, cooking, sword fighting, knife fighting, and archery.

Several years later, the queen died due to causes unknown to the people and Rin became the new queen at the age of only fourteen, so many still called her Princess. She continued to hate the world and the world hated her back. She had wealth and power and strong guards though, so nobody dared to oppose her. Her reputation of evil led her to become known around the world as the Daughter of Evil.

When Len learned that his sister had become the queen, he had tried to contact her multiple times, but he was stopped by the guards or security every time.

After another failed attempt, Len walked down the dirt road wearing a gray cloak, his head hung low. The sky was filled with ominous, gray clouds, ready to rain. Len was ready to give up, ready to accept that he was never going to see his sister again. He remembered Rin's smile on their last day together eight years ago. The smile that seemed to make the whole world light up with joy. The smile that he was never going to see again. Len bit his lip and breathed deeply to keep the tears in his eyes from falling down his cheeks.

Walking around a corner, Len noticed a group of people gathered around a poster on the wall. Curious to see what the commotion was about, he walked over, pushing and squeezing through the mass of people. "Sorry…excuse me…coming through…" Finally, Len made his way through the crowd, only to be squished onto the wall next to the poster. Annoyed at the people fighting to read the poster, Len tried to make out the words from the bad angle he had. As he read, his eyes widened and he found the strength to push himself away from the wall to get a better look. He wiped the tears from his eyes to make sure that he read it correctly. More tears flooded out from his eyes, but it was out of joy this time, not sadness. The poster was a notice to recruit a personal servant for the princess. This was Len's chance to enter the castle and see Rin. His spirit rekindled, Len pushed his way back out of the crowd. He was determined to become Rin's personal servant, no matter what. He was going to see her again soon.


	2. The First Test

_Here's the second chapter. Again, I'd love to get feedback on this, good or bad, so please review. There is some description of violence and blood, so if you don't like that, then don't read. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Len stood among the mass of people waiting outside the castle doors. The day had finally come for the servant to be chosen. There were more people than he had expected waiting outside. Since Rin had such a bad reputation, Len had assumed that many people wouldn't want to suffer abuse as her personal servant. However, the pay was very high, which was probably what had attracted many people.<p>

Len was wearing his most formal clothes—a simple white dress shirt, simple tan dress pants, and cheap dress shoes. It wasn't anything terribly fancy, but he hoped that it would be accepted.

Everyone pushed and shoved, trying to move closer to the large wooden doors so that they could enter first when they opened.

A trumpet sounded from above. "Attention!" All heads turned upwards to squint at the figure standing on top of the castle wall. "Would all people interested in becoming the princess' personal servant enter the castle and await further instruction. Please take note that once you enter these walls, we cannot guarantee your safety." Those words left many people confused, but as the large wooden doors slowly creaked open, people rushed in without a second thought. The flow of people was hard to resist and Len had to move quickly to avoid being trampled.

Once all of the people had entered the castle, the doors creaked and closed with a bang, causing many people to jump. Len looked around. Guards were stationed on the castle walls with bows and arrows and others were stationed at the bottom of the walls with swords and knives. Len had a bad feeling about what this test was going to be about.

The man spoke from above the gate again. "For the first test, there is one simple requirement for you to pass: Survive. It doesn't matter how. All you have to do is to stay alive for one hour. Begin." Without waiting, arrows rained down from the sky and the crowd was thrown into panic. People ran around, desperately looking for some way to protect themselves from the shower of arrows and rocks. People fell to the ground as they were struck in the head. The rain of arrows stopped, leaving many people still standing. Many were also laying on the ground, blood staining their clothes and ground red.

The sound of swords sliding out of their sheaths filled the courtyard as the soldiers stationed beneath the wall pulled out their swords. They charged at the people standing, cutting at vital spots. Len was standing near the center of the courtyard, so he was not immediately attacked. Looking around, Len estimated there to be about 50 soldiers and about 200 people.

Hearing the rustle of grass behind him and the dull clop of boots, Len turned around to find a soldier running towards him. He couldn't have been much older than Len—probably around 18 or 19 years old.

Instinctively, Len pulled out the knife he always kept with him and parried. The sword was significantly longer than Len's knife, so Len had no chance of winning if he stayed at a long range. He needed to move in. If the soldier was surprised to see Len had a knife, he didn't show it. He stabbed at Len's stomach. Len turned and blocked, allowing the sword to slide past him on his knife. Len grabbed the soldier's arm and pulled, using the soldier's momentum from before , causing him to stumble forward. Len slashed across the soldier's neck, blood spraying everywhere as the soldier fell forward.

Len stepped towards the soldier cautiously, unsure on whether or not he was truly dead. Just to be safe, he stepped on the young man's back and pulled his sword out from his hand. Len had never killed a man before and this experience left him feeling guilty, deep inside, but he didn't have time for unnecessary feelings. He had to survive to see Rin again. He wasn't going to die before that.

Len tested the sword, seeing how it felt in his hand. It was a little heavy, but he was going to have to work with it. Len quickly wiped the knife blade on his dress pants and slid it back into its sheath. He didn't want to get his best clothes dirty, but there was nothing else to use to wipe the blood off. Len held the sword in both hands, ready to fight again.

The other soldiers must have discovered that he was one of the more skilled in the group, since nobody came to fight him immediately after. The ones that seemed weaker were targeted first. Unable to put up much of a fight, Len watched as they dropped to the ground. He also saw some other men who had managed to get themselves a sword or a weapon and were able to fight with the soldiers.

Eventually, it came to the point where the people had been pushed towards the center with the soldiers surrounding them in a loose circle formation. Holding his sword in both hands cautiously, Len knew that one wrong move could be fatal. Against a common enemy, the men in the center seemed to form a mental agreement to work together as both sides charged towards each other shouting.

Swords clanged, the harsh sounds ringing throughout the courtyard. Len fought instinctively, each attack coming without enough time to think. His harsh sword fighting training had paid off. Len made a mental note to thank his instructor if he ever saw him again. Len hadn't fought with a sword for a few months though and his arms were starting to feel heavy with fatigue. He struggled to keep up with the soldier who trained for hours every day. Something flashed in the corner of his eye and Len knew that a sword was coming at him from the side, just as the soldier he was fighting swung his sword down at Len's head. He couldn't block both at the same time. Len waited for the searing pain in his side, but it never came. He saw a flash of dark blue, almost black, and heard swords clashing behind him. Someone had blocked it for him. "Don't switch opponents in the middle of a fight," a voice growled from behind him. "It's rude." Len couldn't turn to see the face of the person who had just saved his life, but he could tell from the voice that it was a boy.

Finding new strength from the adrenaline rush of the near-death experience, Len swung his sword, putting more power and determination into his attacks. The soldier backed up a little, miscalculating the force of Len's blow, leaving an opening. Len took this chance and stabbed the soldier in the stomach. The soldier jerked and tried to cut Len one final time with his sword, but Len pulled the sword out and watched the soldier fall onto the ground, his body shuddering once before becoming still.

Len stuck the sword into the ground and leaned on it, gasping for breath. He looked around. People were still fighting. It didn't seem that there were any soldiers left to fight him. He wanted to thank the person who had blocked the sword from the side for him, but Len hadn't seen what he looked like, so he couldn't determine who it was out of the people fighting.

"End of the first test! Stop fighting!" Weapons stopped in midair and slowly lowered to people's sides. Len breathed a sigh of relief. He felt weak and thirsty. If he had to fight another soldier, there was no way he could have won.

Now that Len could relax a little, he looked around and took in his surroundings. Everything was red—the grass, the swords, the bodies. Bodies of people and soldiers lay on the ground, trampled and soaked in blood. The ones who were alive didn't look much better. Everyone was covered in blood—their hair, faces, clothes, weapons. Some were wounded. Len was lucky to have only received a few minor cuts and bruises. He looked down at himself to see clothes splattered with blood and hands covered in red. Only 24 people were left out of the 500 people who had entered the courtyard just one short hour ago.

"Congratulations to all who survived," the voice bellowed. "You will all be able to enter the second test. First, though, you will be allowed to take a shower and you will be given a new set of clothes. A servant will guide you to the showers and changing rooms."

Everyone turned to find a male servant standing next to a door and walked in that direction. Len was looking forward to a shower and new clothes. He wanted to be rid of the crimson red that surrounded him.


	3. Dark Blue

_I haven't updated in a while, since school has been really busy, so I thought I'd get something up. I know this chapter's really short, but something's better than nothing, right? -nervous laugh- Anyway, I hope you enjoy! I'll try to update at least once every week from now on._

* * *

><p>Len walked among the crowd of people that was now significantly smaller. He looked around him in awe. The castle was the most amazing place he had ever been. The walls were shining gold and silver, with murals made of jewels. The walkways and floor was covered in white marble tiles, shining so that he could see his own reflection when he looked down. The gardens were lush green with colorful flowers blooming everywhere.<p>

When they walked inside, there were high ceilings with stained glass windows. The sunlight shined through, creating rainbow patches on the marble floor. Their footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness of the large rooms. The showers and changing room were no less impressive, though these had ceilings that were lower, but still high enough so that one had to stand on top of a bookshelf to touch it.

The male servant gestured towards identical piles of neatly folded clothes and towels on the benches. "These clothes are for you to change into. One set of clothes and one towel for each person. The showers are also available for you to use. There is soap and combs that you may use. Another servant will come to get you after an hour and lead you to the next testing ground. Please take your time and rest for now." He bowed and left.

Len was itching to get out of his bloodied clothes. He rushed into the showers and took some soap and a comb. Len turned on the water, peeled off his clothes, untied his hair ribbon, and stepped into the stream of warm water. The feeling of the blood being washed off was relieving and Len was glad to be rid of it. He hoped that he wouldn't ever have to kill people again, but as he was trying to become the Daughter of Evil's servant, he doubted that his wish would come true.

After his shower, Len wiped himself off and put on the clothes that he had been provided. It was a new white dress shirt, yellow dress pants, brown dress shoes, and a brown vest with golden embroidery. Seeing as the clothes were so nice, Len didn't think that he would have to do anything too messy during the next test. Len transferred what little possessions he had carried with him—his knife and some spare change—to his new clothes. He looked all around the changing room and the showers for a ribbon, but he couldn't find one. It was annoying how nobody thought that boys needed hair ties. Luckily, he hadn't gotten any blood on his old hair tie, so he used it again.

The others had also showered and dressed by now, all wearing the same uniform as Len. One boy who was about the same age as Len had dark blue hair that was almost black. Everybody in this country had yellow hair, so Len was sure that this was the person who had saved him. He walked over to the boy, who looked up with calm, dark blue eyes.

Len introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Len." He didn't say his last name, because some people shied away from him when they found out that he and the princess had the same last name. "You were the one who saved me, right? Thanks."

The boy shrugged. "It wasn't really for you. He was rude when he disregarded me and turned to fight you. I can't stand being ignored." He turned away, effectively ending the conversation.

Len could tell the boy didn't feel like talking. "Um, well, I hope we can be friends." The other boy just shrugged, so Len walked away.

A servant walked into the changing room. "If you would all follow me, I will be leading you to the location of the second test."


	4. The Second Test

_Finally, the fourth chapter is up! I really didn't feel like caring about technology and time periods and stuff, so some things might seem like they shouldn't be possible in what seems to be some medieval time period. Well, it is a fictional story, so please just ignore it. I hope you enjoy! Please review. :)_

* * *

><p>Len followed the group of people out again and into the glittering palace. He tried to keep track of where they were going, but after they turned the twentieth corner, Len gave up. Just how big was this castle?<p>

After walking for what felt like forever, the servant led them to a set of double doors and pushed them open. The sun glared in their eyes as the light spilled into the hallway. When Len's eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light, he saw a courtyard with a large pool in the center. It was at least 150 feet by 300 feet, possibly even larger. Sunlight reflected off the surface of the water, the glare hurting Len's eyes. They had walked onto a glass bridge right in the middle of everything when the guide stopped. "Stay here," he said simply, and he walked off.

It was only at this angle that Len noticed there were circular wooden boards floating in the water. Under the bridge, a dark shadow flitted by. The sunlight was still glaring off the surface, so Len couldn't be sure that he had really seen anything.

"Welcome to the second test," a booming voice announced. "Once again, your goal is to survive. This is the location of the princess' shark collection and they haven't eaten for a length of time. If you are able to make your way onto dry land, then you pass. Begin."

Without giving them any time to take in the information, the glass bridge opened beneath them and the group fell into the water.

"Gah!" Everyone turned their head to find bubbles coming up from where the person had just been, the water around the area stained slightly red. Panic settled in as people realized what was going on. They had just been dumped in a pool filled with hungry sharks that were going to eat them. Len noticed a wooden board floating nearby and immediately swam over to it. He pulled himself onto it, careful not to tip over.

The wooden board could only fit one person, as the people near Len had noticed. They didn't want to get eaten, so they fought to push Len off. However, Len pulled out his knife and the backed away.

A strangled yelp sounded and another person was pulled underwater. Len looked around and didn't see any dark shadows close enough to stand out. He couldn't stand up since he felt unstable even while kneeling. He had to find a way to move closer to the edge of the pool though.

Len reached out his arms and tried to paddle his way to the edge of the pool, but he barely moved. He didn't like the idea, but it seemed that the only way to make it was to swim. Len remembered something from one of the books he had read that sharks were attracted to the scent of blood and lots of splashing. Keeping that in mind, he slipped back into the water, took a deep breath, and swam underwater for as long as possible before taking a breath. Every stroke seemed like an eternity. Len could hear his blood rushing by his ears and the beating of his heart. All of his senses seemed to be enhanced in the danger of the situation.

He had gotten about halfway to the wall when a shadow passed under him.

Len tensed, but he forced himself to pick up the pace while staying underwater. As he was swimming, he felt a chill like something was watching him. Instinctively, Len forcefully swam to the left as a shark brushed past his right arm, its mouth closing where Len had been just a second ago.

Len pushed as hard as he could, putting as much force into each stroke as was possible, propelling himself through the water as fast as he could. The shark had taken a few seconds to find Len's direction again and was swimming towards him, rapidly closing the distance between them.

Ten feet…seven…

Len desperately needed more air, but taking a breath would waste too much time.

Five feet…four…

Len continued to pull and kick.

Two feet…one…

Len's fingers touched something cold and hard. He reached up, pulled himself over, stumbled and rolled away from the edge. The shark jumped out of the water slightly, teeth scratching the edge, before falling back into the water, creating a large splash.

Len gasped for air as he hadn't stopped to take a breath ever since the shark had started chasing him. He forced himself to calm down. The dangerous part had passed, for now. Len lay on the ground, devoid of all energy.

When he was able to breathe normally and had regained some strength, Len pushed himself up into a sitting position. A few people lay collapsed by the edge of the pool, probably having swum there like Len. Many people hadn't made it though. Len smiled a little when he saw the dark-haired boy. He counted a total of seven people who had survived, including him.

Len's stomach growled. Now that he could relax again, he noticed just how hungry he was. He was also shivering like crazy in his soaked clothes.

The booming voice spoke again. "For those who made it, congratulations on passing the test. Now will be the lunch break. After changing, you will all be fed lunch. The third test will begin immediately after lunch. Servants will now guide you back to the showers and changing room."

On cue, seven male servants walked to the survivors. Len watched as a servant around his age walked up to him. He had long blond hair tied up in a ponytail which reached down to the small of his back. "Sir," he addressed Len.

Len cut him off. "You can call me Len."

"Then, Len-sama."

Len rolled his eyes at the honorific, but if he insisted on doing so, so be it.

"Here is a towel." The servant offered him a towel and Len accepted it gratefully, wrapping it around his shoulders. "Can you stand, Len-sama?"

"I'm not sure." Len tried to get up and felt a little wobbly, almost falling over. The servant caught him and helped him regain his balance. "I'm alright now, thank you."

The servant nodded in understanding and walked ahead to lead him back to the changing room, looking back every once in a while to make sure Len was still wobbling along behind him. He held the door open for Len.

"Thanks," Len said.

"It's nothing." The servant motioned to a pile of dry clothes on a bench. "Here are your clothes. Feel free to take a shower. When you are ready, you can find me right outside the door." He bowed, and then walked out the door.

Len closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The morning was over and he had passed two tests. These were scary enough. Len could only imagine the methods of torture his twin sister had come up with to "test" the possible new recruits with. Actually, the idea was making Len anxious, so he decided not to think too much about it. He would just have to pass any test that was thrown at him.

Easier said than done.

Len sighed, took a new towel, and went to take another shower.


	5. Rose and Thorns

_Thank you everyone for waiting so long. I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I can't guarantee regular updates anymore; it's just going to be whenever I get the chance. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! Please review. :)_

__Note: The problems that appear in the test in this chapter were made up on the spot and I cannot guarantee that they are possible. I didn't bother finding the answers to any of them.__

* * *

><p>The shower's warm water soothed Len's frozen skin. Len was glad that they were given breaks like this. If he had to go directly from the first test to the second test, he might not have made it.<p>

He dressed himself in the clothes that he had been given. They were the same as the last set - a gold and brown servant uniform. Taking a deep breath to calm down once again, he stepped outside.

The servant bowed in greeting. "This way please, Len-sama."

Len followed the servant down the hallway. The servant's blond hair floated behind him, almost as if it was weightless. Len wondered if Rin had grown her hair out like that. He wanted to see her.

The two walked into a large high-ceiling room with long tables arranged in rows. The tables were piled high with food of all sorts. The mouth-watering aroma of roasted meat filled the room. Platters of chicken, pork, and beef sat on the table. Bowls overflowed with leafy, green vegetables, carrots, and tomatoes. Apples, peaches, oranges, and grapes added color to the assortment. There was also Len's favorite: bananas.

Len stared at the bananas, gaping. He had never seen so many in his life. His stomach growled as if to remind him to hurry up. The servant led him over to one of the tables.

"This is all yours," he said. "Eat as much as you would like."

"Wah~" was the only sound Len could get out of his mouth. He sat down tentatively and poked at the bananas, just to make sure they were real. Satisfied, he gathered himself a plateful and was about to start eating when he noticed the servant standing behind him quietly. "Why don't you eat some too, uh..." Len hesitated unsure what to address him as.

"Edward," the servant said.

"Edward-san. Well, eat something."

"Thank you for the offer, Len-sama, but I have already eaten lunch," Edward said.

"Oh, okay," Len said. He ate a little bit of everything, adding bananas to everything.

After lunch ended, Len and the others were led to another room with desks lined up in rows like in a classroom. Papers and pencils were on some of them.

"Sit down at a desk with test papers and wait for the command to begin."

Len did as commanded and sat down at a desk. The papers were flipped over, so all he could see was a blank page.

"Finish the test within ten minutes. Ready...begin."

Len flipped the papers over and read the problems. He read the first few problems and stopped.

_1. A piece of paper 8.5"x11" with a mass of 3.00 g is dropped from 5.0 ft above the ground. Calculate the time in seconds for it to touch the ground._

_2. A circle is tangent to the x- and y-axes and passes through the points (3, 2) and (18, 9). Find the point where the circle intersects the x-axis._

_3. Describe in detail the Princess' appearance (hair, dress, shoes, accessories, etc.) one week ago when she gave her speech in public._

How was he supposed to answer any of this? Sure, Len had learned the basics of math and science, but this was way too advanced. Also, he had seen Rin at her speech, but he was so far away that she had only been a dark speck atop a golden platform. He flipped through the pages and gaped at the last number. One hundred? How was anyone going to answer 100 questions of this level in 10 minutes? He looked around at the other people taking the test. Everyone had the same dumbfounded faces and no idea on how they were going to do anything. Len supposed that all of the smart people had died in the first and second rounds.

Len turned back to the test and the words blurred in front of him. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly, but that only caused him to almost fall out of his chair, only saving himself by grabbing on to the edge of the desk. He felt like throwing up. Len rested his head on the desk and found that he was finding it hard to breath. Lifting his head up slowly, he could see that the other people were having similar problems.

"What is going on?" someone shouted.

The door opened and a beautiful girl wearing a gold dress with black ribbons walked in. Her short, golden hair floated above her shoulders as she moved. Two golden eyes lazily looked over a black feather fan and scanned the room.

"Greetings, lowlifes who will never amount to anything. Just to add a little fun to the tests, I had the chefs put poison in your food. And to get the antidote, you'll just have to prove yourself to be the one worthy to be my new personal servant. How? Well," Rin shut the fan suddenly and smiled, "answer all of the questions perfectly in the time remaining, of course."

Len didn't have the strength to lift his head anymore. He could only listen to Rin talk. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Rin was only a few feet away and yet he couldn't even look at her.

Len heard a thump as someone half-climbed, half-fell off his chair. Clothes shuffled on the ground followed by choked out words. "Please, Princess, let me live." A crack sounded followed by a muffled scream of pain and a thump.

Rin had kicked the man in the head. "Hmph, I don't see why I should." She smiled but her eyes were cold. "Poor you. You all are in a lot of pain, aren't you? Well, better hurry before you die."

Nobody moved. Nothing they did would work and no one wanted to have even more pain inflicted on them.

Len was starting to get angry. The sweet sister who had wove him a daisy chain in the past could not be this heartless person. Sure, he had heard rumors, but he had never believed them until now. Len gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

"Ah, it looks like no one is worthy of being my servant." Rin sighed dramatically. "Well, I'll just leave you all to suffer and die. Tata~" Rin waved her hand sweetly and turned around to walk out the door.

Len slammed his fist down on the desk. "Rin!" he shouted with all the air he had left. Len forced his head up slightly so he could see her. His head pounded and his whole body ached. "Give everyone the antidote!"

Everyone except for Rin turned and stared at him in shock. Nobody dared to speak to the princess in such a rude way.

A guard smashed Len's face into the desk. "How dare you speak so rudely to the Princess! Apologize immediately!" He pulled Len's hair, forcing his head of the desk. Len winced and let out a grunt of pain.

Rin turned around with a smile. "Now, who would dare to..." her words faltered as she saw the boy's face. Golden hair around a face almost identical to her own. "Rin" he had called her. The only people who ever called her that were her mother, father, and Len. "No way," Rin whispered. "No way." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Len?"

Len tried to smile, but could only grimace at the pain. "Yeah, it's me."

Rin ran over to him, almost tripping once. She looked at his face closely. Len had changed, but this was definitely him.

The guard who was grabbing Len's hair stood frozen in his spot, not understanding the events unfolding before him. Rin glared at him. "How dare you treat my brother so badly! Let go of his hair already!" she barked. The guard jumped and let go of the boy's hair. Rin caught Len as he fell forward and held him in a tight hug. "Len! I thought I'd never see you again!" Tears streamed down Rin's face as she spoke.

Len could only groan in response.

"Ah! I almost forgot!" Rin scrambled to find the antidote she had brought with her. She finally brought out the fragile glass vial and unplugged it. "Here, Len, drink this," she said, holding it to his mouth.

Len drank the liquid gratefully. Gradually, the pain subsided and he was breathing normally again. He still felt like he had no energy though. Len saw the other poisoned men glaring at him. He had, after all, just taken away their last hope of living. "Rin, don't you have any more of the antidote?"

"No," she said. "I wasn't even planning to use any. The whole servant thing was only meant to be entertainment." She smiled. "I would have never thought that I would be able to see you because of it." She hugged him again.

Len was happy that he could see Rin and continue to live, but he couldn't help but feel guilty that because of him, the rest of the people, who had come hoping for a job, would die. He looked at Rin. This was the pain that Rin felt constantly. Although Rin made it seem like it made her happy, Len could tell that she was slowly decaying on the inside, the feelings of pain gradually eating away at her. From now on, he would share her pain, so hopefully, she won't have to suffer as much.

Len hugged Rin tighter. She felt so fragile in his arms. No, he wouldn't let her suffer anymore.

If Rin was the rose, then Len was the thorns surrounding it, protecting her from harm. From now, until forever.


	6. Blue and Green

_I know I haven't updated in a long time and I'm sorry. But here's an update. :) I hope you guys like it and please review. It gives me motivation to keep writing. ^^_

* * *

><p>A group of green-haired men sat around a table decorated with jade and emerald. The sun shone brightly outside, but the light barely seeped through the dark green curtains blocking the windows, cutting off the room from the outside world..<p>

"The assassin we hired from the blue country has failed, Hatsune-sama. He died from poisoning," one man reported.

Hatsune narrowed his eyes. "That devious brat. It appears that we underestimated her."

A third man spoke up. "It does not seem like an assassination will work. We must come up with something else on a bigger scale, something that will get rid of her once and for all."

"Bigger, huh?" Hatsune muttered. Something that would involve the countries and the people rather than killing her off secretly. He suddenly remembered something. Hatsune narrowed his eyes and smiled. "I have an idea. Doesn't that girl like the prince of the blue country?"

"Yes, sir."

Hatsune smirked. "We'll use three countries against her one person. There's no way that brat will be able to escape this."

* * *

><p>Len walked down the brightly lit hallways carrying a tray of biscuits and tea. He was now Rin's personal servant. The other contestants had died from poisoning, including the boy with dark blue hair. He still felt guilty about that, but that was in the past. He couldn't afford to look back. He was already on this path; he could only move forward.<p>

He passed a few servants in the hallway, who smiled and greeted him. "Hey, Len!"

"Hi!" Len smiled back at them. Ever since Len arrived at the castle, he had kept an eye on Rin, scolding her whenever she bullied the servants. Rin also seemed happier now with Len beside her, so she wasn't punishing the servants anymore. The servants were cautious of Len at first, afraid that the princess' brother would be like her. However, once they found that Len was just like them and friendly, they warmed up to him. The castle was much happier nowadays and everyone smiled more.

Rin was in the garden, admiring the yellow roses. Len called out to her. "Rin! It's snack time." He set the chocolate biscuits and tea down on a table. He poured a cup of tea for Rin and placed a few biscuits on her plate.

Rin walked over and sat down. "Thanks, Len." She picked up a biscuit and took a bite. The smooth chocolate melted in her mouth. "Mm...These are good. Take some, Len." Rin smiled and handed a few to Len.

"Thanks, Rin." Len smiled and took a bite. They were very good indeed.

"Hey, Len."

"Yeah?"

"Later, can you send a letter to the blue country for me?"

"Yeah, sure. Who's it for?"

Rin blushed slightly. "Kaito," she said quietly.

Len smiled. So that's what it was about. "He's the prince that visited a few days ago, right?" The prince of the blue country was about to become the new king, so he was visiting all of the surrounding countries to introduce himself. To Len, the prince had seemed fit to become king, being smart and nice when he visited. It would seem that Rin had noticed that too and had developed feelings for him.

Rin nodded. The moment she met Kaito, she had felt that he was special. Maybe it was the way he smiled, the way he laughed, or his carefree demeanor that drew her to him; she wasn't sure, but she knew that she wanted him by her side. He was smart, funny, and his eyes-oh, his eyes. They were a dazzling ocean blue that glittered with intelligence, shining with a hidden light, clear yet mysterious as if there were secrets swimming deep down that no one could understand. She wanted to know those secrets, enter into a world that no one knew but her. She wanted to see those eyes again, that smile, his face. Though it embarrassed her slightly, Rin wrote a letter requesting an engagement between her and Kaito. The yellow country was so powerful that there would be no reason for him to say no. She would be able to have him by her side for the rest of her life, the blue country's land a bonus.

Len was glad to see Rin this happy. He was glad that he would be able to do something for the sister he had been separated from for years. Now that they were together, he would do everything he could to make up for the years that were lost.

After snack, Rin led Len to her study and took the letter off of her desk. She handed it to Len. "Here."

Len took the letter with both hands. "I'll be leaving as soon as possible then. Don't be surprised to find that I'm not here tonight. The blue country is a few hours from here, so I probably won't be able to get back until either tomorrow or the day after. I'll give the servants specific instructions. Oh, and please don't be mean to them."

Rin smiled and nodded in understanding. "Don't worry. I'll be good until you come back."

Len smiled back. "Alright. I'll see you soon!" He turned and walked out of the Rin's study and collected necessities from around the castle. He packed a set of clothes, a map, some money, food, and water. After reviewing the route to the blue country's capital, Len was on his way.

The sun shone brightly in the sky, heating the land like an oven. Len zoomed past the countryside on his horse as fast as it could go. He squinted against the wind blowing in his face. The roads to the blue country were relatively easy to follow and Len stopped at a few villages along the way to eat and rest for a bit.

Len arrived at the blue country's capital city, Aoika, in the evening, as the sun was showing its last desperate rays of light above the horizon, the sky stained red and violet. People still filled the streets, so Len dismounted from his horse and walked. A strong gust of wind blew suddenly, lifting Len's hat off his head. It landed a few feet away, next to a fountain. Len turned to retrieve it, but people walked in front of him and he couldn't push his way through. A girl with long green hair bent over and picked it up. She looked around and her and Len's eyes met. Len froze. Her eyes were a bright sea green, almost glowing in the dim light.

"Is this hat yours, sir?" the girl asked.

Len blinked and came back to his senses. "Ah, yes. Thank you." Len took his hat from the girl's hands lightly.

The girl smiled. "No problem."

A male voice called out, "Miku? Where did you go?"

"Oh, I must go. Good bye!" Miku turned and ran lightly to the source of the voice. Len watched as she skipped away, her hair flowing behind her, her dress floating slightly in the soft breeze. He was a bit surprised when he recognized the man standing beside her. It was Kaito. Len almost called out to him, but looking at the way he was laughing with Miku, Len didn't want to disturb them. For some reason, seeing Miku smiling so brightly with Kaito made Len feel as if his heart was being squeezed. He turned away and decided to leave the letter at the castle. Since Kaito was here, Len wouldn't be able to hand it to him in person.

Following signs that pointed to the castle, Len walked to the front gate. Two guards wearing blue uniforms were guarding it. "What business do you have in the castle?" one guard demanded.

"I am a messenger from the yellow country. I wish to pass a letter to the prince of the blue country." Len showed the guard his identification as a messenger from the yellow country. The guard nodded his consent and a servant was sent out to greet Len.

"I apologize, Len-sama, but the prince is not here at the moment. Would you like to sit down and wait for his return?" the servant asked.

Len shook his head. "That won't be necessary." He took the letter out and handed it to the servant. "Please give this to the prince. It is a letter from the princess of the yellow country."

The servant took the letter respectfully with both hands. "Of course, Len-sama. I will make sure he receives it."

"Thank you. Then, I will be leaving." Len bowed, then turned and left.

The servant bowed in return. "Have a safe journey."

Len did not want to remain in the capital any longer, knowing that the beautiful girl with green eyes was with the prince of the blue country somewhere, laughing together. The sun had set by now though and only a sliver of the moon barely hung in the black sky. The stars glittered dimly. Len had no choice but to stay one night at an inn, then leave early in the morning. He wanted to return as soon as possible to see Rin. Maybe seeing Rin would get rid of the crushing sadness inside him.


	7. An Empty Void

_Again, my apologies, for taking so long to update, but here's a new chapter. It's late and I'm tired, so I'm not going to say too much. I hope you guys like it and please review._

* * *

><p>Len was walking down a busy street, the sky becoming darker as the sun set. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew his hat off. It landed a few feet away. Len was about to walk over when a girl with green hair picked it up. She smiled and the whole world seemed to light up. She handed his hat to him then ran away. Len reached out, about to grab her wrist, when he noticed the man in blue standing next to her. His hand dropped to his side and he felt an empty void inside him. He felt crushed, sadness and anger bubbling up to fill the emptiness. It felt like the people around them were all staring at Len, mocking him. Len grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it out. Delirious with anger now, Len swung the sword to and fro, thirsting for flesh and blood to soothe the seething emotions inside him. Blood sprayed everywhere and screams rang in the air. Bodies fell to the ground. The last rays of the sun reflected on the blade and blinded him for a moment. He shook his head and looked again. A head with blue hair and a head with long green hair lay beside his feet, crimson liquid seeping into the thin strands stealing the color away. A pair of sea-green eyes and a pair of sapphire blue eyes stared up at Len. The sword clanged as it fell to the ground and Len looked around frantically, breathing hard. He didn't want to do this. What was going on? No, no, this was not what he wanted to do. No. No. No!<p>

Len opened his eyes, breathing hard. Birds were chirping outside his window and a warm breeze blew in, bringing with it a scent of freshly baked bread. Len sat up in his bed. Right. This wasn't the castle. He was still in the capital of the blue country. Still in the same city where Miku and Kaito were...

No. Len couldn't keep thinking about that. He had to get home. Home to where Rin was. Yes. Seeing Rin would get rid of this feeling.

Len dressed in his golden clothes, quickly packed his things, then headed down to the inn's dining hall. He ordered a quick breakfast of a bread roll and some butter along with some extra food to take on his trip back to the castle. His clothes attracted many stares from the people eating around him. Len ignored them and headed outside to pack his horse for the trip back home. When he looked outside, however, his horse was nowhere to be found. Looking back in the inn out of the corner of his eye, Len could see a group of men staring at him. This was, however, the blue country. It would be best not to cause any trouble. Len slung his bags over his shoulder and walked towards the castle. The easiest thing to do was to borrow a horse from the blue country then return it in the future.

When his identity was revealed to the guards at the gate, a servant came outside to greet him like the day before. "Good morning, Len-sama, what brings you here today?"

"Good morning. Would it be alright if I borrowed a horse for my journey back to my country? My horse was stolen during the night," Len explained.

"Of course," the servant replied. "Please follow me."

While the servant led Len to the stables, another servant knocked on the door to Prince Kaito's office.

"Come in," said the Prince. The servant entered the magnificent room furnished with blue satin embroidered with silver. "What is it?"

"Your Highness, the Yellow country's messenger just arrived to borrow a horse," said the servant.

"Ah, perfect timing." Kaito picked up the envelope he had set aside on his desk and handed it to the servant. "Hand this to him. Tell him to hand it to Princess Rin."

"Yes, sir." The servant bowed and left.

Len had packed his horse and was just about to leave when another servant in blue ran up to him. "Excuse me, messenger from the Yellow country; please hand this letter to Princess Rin. It is from Prince Kaito."

Len took the envelope and looked at it for a moment. It was probably a response to Rin's proposal. Len could guess the contents of the letter. He could only hope that Rin wouldn't be too sad. Or angry. Len tucked it safely into his bag. "I will be sure that the Princess receives it." Len bowed before mounting his horse and the servant bowed in return.

Len wanted to get out of the blue country, away from the blue-green couple, as soon as possible.

Len did not pay much attention to his surroundings on his ride back to the castle, his head filled with conflicting thoughts of Miku, Kaito, and Rin. As he rode through the castle doors, the guards and servants all said, "Welcome back, Len-san."

Len did not reply. He dismounted his horse, grabbed his bag, and started to walk into the castle when he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Edward.

"Len-san, are you alright?" he asked, his face filled with concern.

Was he alright? "Ah? Uh, yeah. Why do you ask?" Len looked down at himself. He didn't see any wounds and he didn't remember any times that he had injured himself during the journey.

"You seem a little distracted," Edward replied.

"Oh," Len said. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I have to go visit the Princess now. Do you know where she is?"

"I believe she is in her office at the moment," Edward said.

"Thank you. I'll see you later." Len turned and left before giving Edward a chance to reply. He walked quickly to Rin's office. Len paused before knocking on her door. Did he really want to see Rin hurt because of Kaito's refusal? He did not have much of a choice though, since a lie would do her no good and Len was not skilled in the art of lying. Len took a deep breath before knocking on the door twice.

"Come in," a female voice said.

Len opened the door. "I'm back," he said.

Rin's face lit up with joy. "Len! Welcome back!" She jumped up from the cushioned chair she was sitting in and tackled Len in a hug. "I missed you!"

Len laughed and hugged her back. "I missed you too!" He lightly pulled himself away from Rin and retrieved the envelope from his bag. "Here's Kaito's reply."

"Oh, yay! Thanks!" Rin opened the envelope immediately. As she read the words on the page, her face darkened. Len heard the sound of paper crumpling and realized that Rin was clenching her fists. "Hmph," she scoffed and tossed the letter on the ground. "Who does he think he is?"

Len picked up the crumpled paper from the floor and read the short letter written in blue ink.

_Dear Princess Rin Kagamine, _

_I am flattered that you think that I am worthy enough to be your husband. However, I do not think that I am good enough for you and must kindly refuse your offer._

_My sincere apologies, _

_Prince Kaito Shion_

Rin sat back down in her cushioned chair, silent.

Len walked up to her. "Rin?"

Silence.

Len tried again. "Rin. I'm sure there are many more men out there that are much better than Kaito. You shouldn't fee-"

"Len," Rin said, interrupting Len. She was looking down, her blonde hair blocking her face from Len's view.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Do you know why Kaito rejected me?"

"Well, it's just like he said in his letter. He's not good enough for you."

"No," Rin said. "I want to know the real reason why he refused. I'm young, pretty, and the queen of the Yellow Country. He has no reason to say no to marrying me."

Len shifted his feet uncomfortably. Rin was acting weird and he didn't like it. He wanted her to have a smile on her face. "Well, when I was in the blue country, I did see him with a girl with green hair..."

Rin lifted her head, a crazy light in her eyes. "That must be his girlfriend. She's the only thing between me and Kaito. If I get rid of her then Kaito will be mine. Right, Len?"

Len backed up unconsciously. "I don't know, Rin. I don't think-"

"Len, kill her for me." The light in Rin's eyes had turned sharp and murderous. She was serious.

Len hesitated before answering. If it was anybody else, Len would have agreed immediately for he would do anything to make Rin happy. But for some reason, Len didn't want to kill the green-haired girl with sea-green eyes. He didn't want to see them staring up at him, lifeless, like in his dream. He felt that if he harmed her, he would be hurting himself too.

"Len, you love me, right? So you will kill her for me, right?"

The desperate look in Rin's eyes caused Len so much pain that he agreed, just so that she would be happy. "Of course, Rin, I will."

Rin smiled and hugged Len. "I knew I could count on you, my beloved twin brother."

Len hugged Rin back, patting her soft hair. Even though Rin was happy, Len couldn't bring himself to cheer up. He tried to smile, but only ended up grimacing. Why wasn't he happy? Rin was here, smiling in his arms, and should have been the only thing important to him, but he could not stop thinking about Miku. Her long green hair, her sea-green eyes, and the task that Rin had assigned him would not leave his mind. And for some reason, Len felt as if deep down in the dark recesses of his heart was a monster, eating away at him, creating an empty void where happiness should have been.


	8. Fate

_Yay, it's an update! Are you surprised to find that I'm still alive? I suddenly thought that I should continue working on this today, so I did. And so here's another chapter that I spat out without much thought. I didn't review it, but I hope you like it. Please review as well. ^^_

* * *

><p>Len was walking through the crowded streets of the blue country again, guiding his horses by the reigns behind him. He tried to think about the nice weather, the mouth-watering aroma of food around him, the bananas on the stand a few meters ahead - anything but Miku. But that was a bit of a challenge considering that he was on his way to kill the green-haired girl right now.<p>

After Rin had ordered Len to kill Miku, he had packed his things once again and rode a different horse to the blue country, bringing along the horse he had borrowed to return it. Len had considered different ways of killing her. To find her, it would probably be best if he asked around to see if anyone had seen her or knew where she was. Then came the challenge of actually killing her. It would be best not to attract too much attention. Stabbing her or slashing at her with his sword would be too bloody and leave evidence that could be easily traced back to him. Breaking her neck might be too challenging, since it would be best to sneak up behind her. Chances were slim that nobody would be around when Len found Miku. Therefore, some of the more practical options left were to lead her to a secluded area then either poison her, drown her, or cause her to fall off a cliff. Len would decide on the details when the time came.

Len returned the blue country's horse to the palace first, and then left his horse at a stable. Now Len could wander around more freely.

Len was buying a banana when he saw a flash of green pass beside him. Looking quickly, he saw a girl with twin green pigtails walking away from him. Alone. This was perfect. He hurriedly gave the vendor the money and ran after the girl. The green hair bobbed up and down in the sea of blue-haired heads. Len pushed his way through the crowd. "Excuse me. Sorry. Coming through." Len was about to call out to Miku when he realized that he wasn't supposed to know her name.

Well, the only choice was to fake a chance encounter again.

Len barreled his way through the crowd, ignoring the annoyed glares people were giving him and bumped into Miku with as much momentum as he could muster, while holding back to make sure she didn't fall over. "Ah! I'm so sorry!" he said, turning to Miku. "Are you alright?"

Those sparkling sea-green eyes looked into his and replied, "Yes, I'm fine." She blinked and tilted her head slightly. "Aren't you the man from the day before...?"

"Ah, yes," Len replied. "Thank you for picking up my hat that day." He paused for a moment. "And now I'm repaying you by bumping into you. How rude of me. How about I treat you to some snacks at my house?"

"It's alright, really," Miku said, smiling. "You don't have to."

"No, I feel really bad. You can just stay for a bit. I won't keep you for long."

"Hm..." Miku thought about it for a moment. "Well, I guess I am free right now, so alright."

Len brightened up. "Really? I mean, great! Just follow me." To make sure she wouldn't be able to run away in the middle, Len took hold of her hand. "I hope you don't mind holding hands. I just don't want us to be separated by the crowd."

"It's okay. I don't mind." Miku smiled sweetly.

Len felt horrible when he remembered that he was here to erase this sweet girl from existence. However, he couldn't dwell on it for long, lest his emotions betray his true intentions. Len focused on the present. He was holding hands with Miku, with the girl whose sea-green eyes sparkled no matter what time of day it was. Her hand was soft and smooth, warm to the touch, like all hands were, but for some reason, the fact that he was holding her hand caused Len's heart to beat faster, until it was echoing in his head like a drum. He could only hope that Miku couldn't hear it. He felt his face heat up slightly and rushed onwards, facing forward to make sure that Miku wouldn't notice.

Len led Miku out of the blue capital and continued to walk towards the forest. Miku paused, hesitant. "Where are we going? You're not from around here, right? But you're not staying in the city?"

"Ah." Len had to think of something quickly. "I have some relatives here and I'm staying with them. Their house is in the forest. We're almost there, just follow me." He smiled pleasantly and tugged lightly on Miku's hand.

"Okay." Miku continued to follow Len, deeper into the forest.

Len continued walking, his heart nervously beating the whole time. His breathing quickened; he tried to take a few deep breaths to calm down. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay. He'll just kill Miku, then head home. That was all there was to it. But really, that wasn't all there was to it. The thought caused his heart to clench up and his chest to ache. Len really did not want to go through with this. He didn't want to see those sea-green eyes dull and empty of life, those green pigtails stained red.

No, he couldn't think about that right now. He had to stay focused. Kill Miku, then leave.

Kill Miku, then leave.

Repeating the phrase over and over again in his brain, Len hardened his resolve. Yes, that was what he was here for. Rin wanted Miku dead, so Len would kill her, and then leave. That was all there was to it. Just that.

Len and Miku reached a small clearing and Len stopped. He turned around to speak to Miku, but could not bear to meet her sparkling eyes. "It seems that I'm lost. I'm sorry."

Miku smiled and let go of Len's hand. Instead, she walked around in front of Len so that she was staring into his deep golden eyes. "You're lying, aren't you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. She knew.

Startled, Len blinked and stepped back. "What? What do you mean?" he asked, still feigning ignorance.

"Your hair, eyes, everything on you is golden. It's obvious that you're from the yellow country. Your princess sent you, didn't she? Sent you to kill me." Miku stared at Len calmly with a sad smile on her face.

"How do you know this?" Len asked, dumbfounded.

Miku ignored the question. "It's okay. You can kill me. I don't mind. I deserve it actually."

Len didn't move.

Miku walked up to Len and slid his knife out of its sheath. She handed it to him. "Do it."

The revelation that Miku already knew everything had shattered Len's fragile resolve that he had built up before. He didn't want to kill this girl. She was so beautiful, so smart, so sad; he wanted to protect her, much like he wanted to protect Rin. But he also wanted more to learn more about her, to become a part of her life, not end it.

Len's hand remained dangling by his side. "I-" His voice cracked. "I can't." Tears started to well up in his eyes and he shook his head weakly. "I can't do it. I don't want to kill you. I-" It was only as he was saying the words that he realized that these were his true feelings. "I love you."

Miku smiled at the confession. Saying nothing, she walked up to Len and embraced him in a hug. "It's okay. You have to do it, don't you? You have to kill me, or else your princess will kill you." She whispered in his ear. "Goodbye."

Len felt a jolt.

Miku collapsed.

Len's eyes widened as he looked down. A red patch was spreading from around the knife in her stomach, her hand still lightly gripping the handle. Miku's blood stained her clothes and the green grass around her. Her eyes were closed and a smile remained on her face, calm and accepting of her death.

Len's knees could no longer support him and he kneeled beside her. Tears rolled down his cheek and fell as he touched the sweet face framed by green hair. It was still warm.

But she was dead.

Miku was dead.

The girl that Len had loved was dead and there was no bringing her back.

Never again would he see those sparkling sea-green eyes. Never again would those soft lips smile at him. Never again would he hear her tinkling laugh. It may have been only a chance encounter, but that had been enough for Len to fall in love with this girl. And now, before they were even given a chance to know each other, fate and her cruel scissors had cut the thread between them, never to be connected again.

Len didn't know how long he had cried or embraced that beautiful body, but by the time he had calmed down, the sun was already setting. The sky was dyed blood red, like Miku's blood. Len retrieved his knife from Miku's stomach, grimacing as he heard the metal slide against flesh and blood. He wiped it on the grass, then on a handkerchief, and sheathed it. Len didn't have the time to bury the body or create a beautiful grave for Miku, so he just knelt down beside her and kissed her hand. It was cold.

"Goodbye, Miku," Len whispered. "I love you."

Feeling empty inside, Len turned away. Following their footsteps, he found his way back to the city. As much as Len didn't want to stay near the place of Miku's death any longer, it would be dangerous to travel back home in the dark, so Len reluctantly found an inn.

Exhausted both mentally and physically from the day's events, Len did not want to think anymore. He didn't even feel sad anymore, just empty. Hopefully, Rin would be able to fill some of that emptiness. Devoid of all feeling, Len closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep.


End file.
